Why Michael Del Zotto Could (And Probably Should) Start The Year In Connecticut

Michael Del Zotto

Because the Rangers waited until deep into the summer to
re-sign Steve Eminger, many had begun to accept that the team was destined to
open the season with Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Ryan McDonagh, Mike Sauer, Tim
Erixon and Michael Del Zotto in the starting lineup.

1. As the
summer has progressed the Rangers have inched closer and closer to the salary
cap ceiling.The amount of wiggle room
they’ll have come October is difficult to predict, but no matter who makes the
team it appears that the Blueshirts won’t have much flexibility to make roster
moves during the season.Eminger is set
to make only $800,000 this year while Del Zotto has a cap hit of $1.087
million.A roughly $300,000 gap isn’t a
ton, but it can make a huge difference as the season unfolds and injuries
strike or at the trade deadline when cap hits are prorated, and therefore much
lower.

2. 2. Del Zotto seemed to be figuring things out with
the CT Whale during a 10-game stretch in which he posted seven assists, but after
being returned to the Whale a second time he promptly broke his finger, ending
his season.There’s no reason to believe
that Del Zotto isn’t completely healthy right now, but it’s always good for a
young player to rehab and work up to top-speed against a lower level of
competition.

3. 3. Tim Erixon will have to earn his roster spot,
but team representatives have been very outspoken about their expectations that
Erixon will have an impact in the NHL this season.Erixon faired quite well against a high level
of competition in Sweden last year and he has a very fundamentally sound game,
so if he looks decent at Traverse City and training camp he will make the team.

4. 4. One of the biggest reasons the Rangers stuck
with Del Zotto for so long was that they were in desperate need of his skill on
the point of the power play.Del Zotto
could still be a help on the man advantage, but the need for him to carry the
unit decreased immediately when Brad Richards was signed.At some point, Del Zotto could turn into an
extremely effective co-pilot on the power play, but for now the team should be
able to get by - and improve on the last couple of years - without him.

5. 5. Del Zotto’s ego clearly took a hit last year
when his struggles continued and his job security loosened.The injury set him back again and although Del
Zotto has seemed to regain some of his old swagger this summer, he could be
mentally fragile at the outset of the year.Del Zotto could really benefit from a longer period of success in the
minor leagues before taking on the NHL again.

6. 6. The signing of Brendan Bell gave the Rangers
another capable NHL body.Whether the
team chooses to carry seven defensemen immediately or not, Bell gives the
Rangers valuable flexibility and another body to plug and play.If Eminger and Erixon make the team, Bell
could be brought along for the early season road trip and rotate in and out of
the lineup, or he could be quickly called up from the Whale in the event of an
injury.Either way, the addition of Bell
means the Rangers won’t have to rush Del Zotto to the pros where he might not
be better than Eminger, but would play anyway because the Rangers wouldn’t want
him to sit in the press box.Bell
provides a nice security blanket for the top-six and can act as a cushion for
Del Zotto on the depth chart.

With a great camp, Del Zotto could force his way onto the
roster ahead of Eminger and Erixon, but it would make a good amount of sense
for him to start the year with the Whale.If all goes well, he could be an invaluable midseason call-up like Ryan
McDonagh a year ago, but it would be a wise move for both sides to take things
slowly.